SDE MP Rainer Vakra said it does not bode well for the coalition if one partner unexpectedly votes with the opposition, referring to IRL MP Juhan Parts voting against Cohabitation Act implementing acts.

Vakra reopened wounds of a conflict between the two parties, where IRL accused SDE of not backing its candidate Parts for a European Union position, saying SDE would vote for Parts if he voted for implementing acts to the Cohabitation Act. The Cohabitation Act was passed a year ago, and gives same-sex couples more rights, but needs implementing acts to close a number of legal loop wholes and make the initial act usable.

Vakra said his party leadership debated Parts's nomination to the European Court of Auditors and in the end decided not to back him.

“Where is it written, or why does anyone believe that the candidate must come from IRL, why should the candidate be a politician,” Vakra said, adding that there was no talk of an IRL candidate when the coalition negotiations were taking place. He said the government should just move forward and find a new candidate.

IRL's Viktoria Ladõnskaja said Parts, a former PM and economy minister, is a very strong candidate, adding that it is the SDE which has crossed the line. She said SDE Chairman Jevgeni Ossinovski sent IRL a letter which was mostly about the Cohabitation Act. “This is not political culture when we raise ideological topics and threaten others to act as we want,” she said.

Center Party's Jaanus Karilaid said Parts has two faces as he was a great auditor general before he entered politics and caused many problems with Eesti Energia, among others.

Reform Party MP Yoko Alender said the Social Democrats (SDE) have the right to back whoever they want, adding the case has come to a stand-still. She said the next step would be trying to find a new candidate who is suitable to all parties.

“Everyone who has ever been in politics knows that it does not bode well for the health of the coalition, when partner – currently IRL – backs an EKRE proposal,” Vakra said.

No IRL member voted for the Cohabitation Act a year ago when it was passed, and the party has been strongly opposed to the act. This time around, only one IRL MP supported the implementing acts.